Intel’s x86 MinnowBoard ships, sets sight on Raspberry Pi

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It seems every hardware manufacturer and their hardware manufacturing grandmothers are getting in on the cheap, tiny, adorably named computer wave that the Raspberry Pi popularized. Now that the MinnowBoard is shipping, its Intel’s turn to take aim at the $35 credit card-sized fruit pie computer.

Regardless of what released first, just about every tiny, cheap PC is considered in competition with the Raspberry Pi. Intel’s attempt at a similar piece of hardware, the MinnowBoard, will undoubtedly be compared to the little $35 device, but might also be a great example of when comparing hardware to the Raspberry Pi has gone too far. For instance, at $199, the MinnowBoard is about the price of five RasPis. More importantly, Intel’s MinnowBoard is more of a Mini-ITX motherboard than it is a cheap computer. (See: What is the Raspberry Pi?)

Rather than the RasPi’s ARM approach, the MinnowBoard is a barebones x86 mini PC featuring a 1GHz Atom E640 processor (with integrated graphics), 1GB of of DDR2 RAM, a micro SD card slot, SDVO to DVI port, audio input and output, two USB 2.0 ports, gigabit Ethernet, PCI Express, and a SATA2 hookup. It comes equipped with 4MB of flash firmware, runs Angstrom Linux and is Yocto Project compatible. Perhaps the only true comparisons that can be made to the RasPi is that the Minnow measures in at a tiny 4.2 inches square, and is open source for developers and hobbyists.

The Minnow can be expanded with cards thematically named Lures, which can be custom developed for all you hobbyists that prefer your hobbying to be fish-themed. The Minnow can handle up to four stacked Lures, and sports eight GPIO pins, four GPIO-controlled LED switches and four GPIO switches. If you need an idea for a Lure or want to see what’s currently in development, check out the Lure board specifications list.

If you’re looking for a very casual or dedicated computer for cheap, the Minnow probably isn’t for you. For an extra hundred bucks or so, you can grab a decent laptop off Newegg, or even Intel’s NUC. Of course, you can always grab the higher-end $35 Model B Raspberry Pi if you just want to do some light PC work. There’s a whole wide world of cheap, tiny computers out there, but the Minnow aims to be hobbyist board that focuses on x86 architecture, and is a household name if that comforts you at night.

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Joe

$199 for a hobbyist board?! Way too much for something I’ll be tinkering with and very likely to break. I bought my current laptop, a used intel i3 dell, from eBay for $150 and I’m sure my lappy blows this board out of the water.

The only niche I see for this board are professionals and companies looking to develop a product.

wmac

If the purpose is to explore low level programming / OS experiments etc. I could use any of the existing virtual machine software (which we unfortunately lack such a straightforward clean implementation for ARM CPUs).

For hardware experimentation I still can use old motherboards (which are extremely cheap to buy, perhaps free if you do not already have any). With old and used motherboards/RAM/CPU etc you would not worry that you may burn the I/Os.

tlwest

For a second, I was beginning to panic. The idea of Intel competing in the sub-$50 space is ludicrous. There’s no money to be made there. Personally, I’m amazed that there’s enough profit at $199 to be worth Intel’s while, but at least it’s not absurd.

Postulative

I am curious about a couple of things here. Firstly, what would this cost in a world without patents?

Secondly, I wonder if Intel considered the stories about Tiberius before naming this the “minnow”. I cannot get out of my mind the thought that someone’s bound to get a bunch of these, attach alligator clips and a tiny propeller, waterproof them and chuck them in the pool during a summer party.

Roberto Tomás

it’s nice that Intel fans get the same choices as ARM fans do, eventually. :)

http://www.youtube.com/user/zenapplejones?feature=mhum Craig Jones

I might as well buy a New Full size Gigabyte Motherboard. Lol sounds like a Build for August. :(

IO

Intel is clearly not taking it’s fight with ARM seriously. When the chip giant does we’ll see rasberry Pi-sized boards rocking true SoCs (clovetrail and baytrail) with $50-$100 price tags. Until then it’s attempts so far are pitiful at best. I bet each reader spends at most 45 seconds reading this piece of news on the web. The sad part is that devs actually want a tiny x86 board but Intel’s chances are getting slimmer as the aforementioned devs are getting more familiar and comfortable with ARM. Hardware startups don’t create and launch amazing products by signing NDAs but by getting their hands on Panda/Beagle Boards, Hardkernel ODroids and raspberry Pis. My advice, ditch the red tape and get baytrail out there in the hands of every/anyone who cares to build a device around it. Am I missing something?!

tlwest

Add up the profits every ARM manufacturer vs. profits from Intel. Now who’s pitiful?

As a customer, I want Intel to provide me with a pony for free. As a stock holder, I’m well aware that they have to stay the heck away from low/no margin businesses like this. Market share does not equal profit.

High end tablets/phones selling for $500+, sure. There’s some money to be made there supplying the chips. Hobbyist machines for $50? Keep away.

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